MrHen comments on The Tragedy of Group Selectionism - Less Wrong

36 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 07 November 2007 07:47AM

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Tags: self_deception group_selection evolution anthropomorphism seq_evolution

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Comment author: SilasBarta 12 February 2010 05:56:26PM *  0 points [-]

Yeah, along the same lines: whenever I saw British speakers write "[X is true.] Full stop.", I assumed the metaphor referred to a ship making a "full stop", not a period. But at least the meaning comes across correctly! British speakers seeing "period" aren't so lucky! :-P

Comment author: MrHen 12 February 2010 06:02:34PM 0 points [-]

In case you are wondering, the term "full stop" harks back to telegrams:

The term STOP was used in telegrams in place of the period. The end of a sentence would be marked by STOP, because punctuation cost extra. The end of the entire telegram would be noted by FULL STOP.

How full stop became associated with the punctuation used to end sentences is beyond my knowledge. The wikilink doesn't seem to have that info either.

Comment author: mattnewport 12 February 2010 06:24:14PM 2 points [-]

Leading to the classic Blackadder line:

Yes... take down a telegram, Bob. To Mr. Charlie Chaplin, Sennet Studios, Hollywood, California. Congrats stop. Have found only person in world less funny than you stop. Name Baldrick stop. Signed E. Blackadder stop. Oh, and put a P.S.: please, please, please stop.

Comment author: SilasBarta 12 February 2010 06:25:45PM 0 points [-]

ROFL! I love that guy...

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